LAUREL, De. -- The Laurel Police Department and Laurel School District have outlawed the use of face coverings, effective immediately. The announcement was made by the police department through a Facebook post on Monday, alerting the community to the implementation of a new safety-focused dress code.
Ski masks, face masks and balaclava masks are all not allowed to be worn on school property. Medical masks or masks worn for religious reasons are still allowed.
Crystal Oneal, a Laurel resident who supports the decision, emphasized the importance of prioritizing safety.
"I absolutely agree with that," said Oneal. "I think that's a good thing to do with all the stuff that's happened over the last 10 years, and yeah, you don't need your ski mask inside."
Having graduated from Laurel High School and raised children who followed suit, Oneal commended the district's cautionary approach.
"Take as many precautions as you can, for my kids, they're not there anymore, for your kids that now are," said Oneal.
Sheila Wilkins, owner of This-N-That Country Store in Laurel, expressed optimism about the potential impact on safety.
"Well, it's got to help, you can see who does what, you know what I mean? When you're hiding, you're more likely to do something not nice," said Wilkins.
The Laurel School District, aiming to improve safety with a new dress code.